STANDING IN THE CIRCLE: Images of Old People in African Literature

Abstract

A lot has been written about the portrayal of women in African literature, but very little has been written on how the old are portrayed. This work focuses on portraits of old men and women in African literature. Are they positive or negative? What factors influence the portraiture of the old? Is there a correlation between the portrayal and treatment of elderly characters in African fiction and society? Are the old portrayed the same in African literature as they are in Western literature?